Mail-bag holder.



No. 827,793. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

W. E. D- EVEREST. MAIL BAG HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1906.

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- Saver-to: MEflI/cresi WILLIAM E. D. EVEREST, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

MAIL-BAG HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed May 19,1906. Serial No. 317,681.

To all whom, it Wmy concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. D. EVER- EsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Holders, of which the following is a specification. The present invention relates to an improved mail-bag holder for use in suspending a bag from a mail-crane in position for being delivered to the catcher upon a mail-car.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will hold the bag securely against accidental displacement and which will not be affected by the action of snow and sleet or other unfavorable conditions of weather. For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the holder and the block secured to the upper arm of the crane. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder, showing it as secured to the end of a mail-bag. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective viewof the sliding rod. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the locking-lever, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of the block secured to the upper arm of the mail-crane.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The main frame of the holder comprises, essentially, a longitudinal bar 1, which is permanently secured to one end of a mail-bag and is provided upon one side with the two spaced projections 2 and 3. The projection 3 is provided upon its inner face with a slot or opening 4, within which the lever 5 is pivoted by means of the pin 6. The lever 5 comprises a short arm 7 and a long arm 8, which are arranged at angles to each other and which project outwardly beyond the slot 4. It will be observed that the long arm 8 extends outwardly farther than the short arm 7 and has its end bent so as to lie approxi.

mately parallel to the bar 1. In the specific formation of the lever 5 the ends thereof are preferably made thicker than the intermediate portion, the cross-section gradually diminishing toward the pivot-point. The projections 2 and 3 are formed with longitudinal openings 9 and 10, respectively, which are in alinement with each other and through which the rod 11 is passed. The end of the rod 11 passing through the opening 10 is bifurcated at 12 to form two arms, between which the longer arm 8 of the lever 5 passes. The upper and lower faces of the same end of the rod 11 are cut away and the shoulder 13 formed upon the side of the rod adjacent the bar 1 and the shoulder 14 upon the opposite side. In order to limit the sliding movement of the rod 11 within the openings 9 and 10, the portion of the rod within the first-mentioned opening is formedwith the longitudinal slot 15, through which the pin 26 is passed, the said pin engaging with the ends of the slot for the purpose mentioned. It will be observed that the shoulder 14 upon the outer face of the rod 11 is inclined and located considerably nearer the slot 15 than the shoulder 13 upon the inner face of the rod. The two arms 7 and 8 of the lever 5 bear such a relation to each other that the shorter arm 7 fits against the inner face of the rod 11, or that adjacent the bar 1, while the longer arm 8 fits against the opposite or outer face. A transverse groove 16 is formed in the outer face of the rod 11 immediately adjacent the shoulder 14, and when the rod is given a longitudinal movement, so as to throw the short arm 7 of the lever 5 over the shoulder 13, the long arm 8 is drawn inwardly to close the groove 16. However, when the rod 11 is moved in the opposite direction until the short arm 7 of the lever slips over the shoulder 13 the long arm 8 swings outwardly and falls away from the groove 16. The bar 1 may be secured to the mail-bag 17 in any suitable manner, as by placing a plate within the bag and riveting the plate to the bar. Upon the opposite face of the bar 1 to that provided with the projections 2 and 3 there is located a hook or finger-hold 18.

The mail-crane which is shown may be of any conventional type and comprises, essentially, the upright member 19 and the two laterally-extending arms 20 and 21. The block 22 is permanently secured to the lower face of the extremity of the upper arm 20,, and this block 22 is provided with a groovel23, through which the pin 24 is passed. The extremity of the lower arm 21 of the mailcrane is preferably bifurcated for the recep- IIO lion of the finger 25, which is pivoted between the two arms thus formed. In the present instance the portion of the finger 25 between the bifurcated portion of the arm 21 is enlarged and given a circular formation and a washer placed upon each side of the enlarged portion. In order to place the mailbag 17 in position upon the crane for being delivered to the catcher upon the mail-car, the groove 16 in the rod 11, which is slidably mounted within the projections from the bar 1, is placed against the pin 24 in the block 22 and the rod 11 then moved within its bearings until the short arm 7 of the lever 5 slips beyond the shoulder 13 and the long arm 8 of the lever is drawn inwardly, so as to confine the pin 24 within the slot 16. The ring upon the lower end of the mail-bag can then be slipped over the finger 25 upon the lower arm 21 in the usual manner. When the bag is engaged by the catcher upon the car, it will be apparent that the pull upon the bag will cause the rod 11 to slide within its bearings in the projections 2 and 3 upon the bar 1 and that when the shoulder 13 slips beyond the short arm 7 of the lever 5 the long arm 8 of the lever will fall outwardly and release the pin 24 from the slot 16. One of the great advantages of this holder resides in the fact that when the bag is swung into position the upper arm of the crane protects the parts of the holder from snow and sleet and the bag itself protects the lower end. If desired, the bifurcated end of the rod 11 may also be formed with a transverse slot 30, through which the pin 31 in the projection 3 passes, and these members cooperate with the slot 15 in the opposite end of the rod and the pin 26 to limit the sliding movement of the rod relative to the base 1.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mail-bag, a holderframe secured to the bag, a rod slidably mounted upon the holder-frame, a lever pivotally mounted'upon the holder-frame, and a support for the mail-bag, the said rod and lever cooperating with each other to form a detachable connection with the support.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mail-bag, a holderframe secured to the bag, a rod slidably mounted upon the holder-frame, a lever pivotally mounted upon the holder-frame and comprising two arms arranged at angles to each other and bearing against opposite sides of the before-mentioned rod, and a support for the bag, the said rod and lever cooperating with each other to form a detachable connection with the support.

3.' In a device of the character described,

" the combination of a mail-bag, a holderframe secured to the bag and formed with spaced projections, a ro slidably mounted upon the spaced projections, a lever pivotally mounted upon one of the projections and provided with arms which engage with the opposite sides of the before-mentioned rod, and a support for the bag, the said rod and lever cooperating with each other to form a detachable connection with the support.

4. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a mail-bag, a holderframe secured to the bag, a rod slidably mounted upon the holder-frame and provided upon one side with a shoulder, a lever pivotally mounted upon the holder-frame and comprising two arms which bear against the combination of a mail-bag, a holder frame secured to the bag, a rod slidably mounted upon the holder-frame and provided upon one side with a shoulder, means for limiting the sliding movement of the rod, a lever pivotally mounted upon the holderframe and comprising two arms which bear against opposite sides of the before-mentioned rod, and a support for the bag, one end of the lever being adapted to hold the rod against the support when the rod is moved so as to throw the before-mentioned shoulder under the o posite arm of the lever, and to disengage itself from the support upon a reverse movement of the rod.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mail-bag, a holder frame secured to the bag, a rod slidably mounted upon the holder-frame and pro vided upon opposite sides with shoulders, a lever pivotally mounted upon the holderframe and comprising two arms which. engage with opposite sides of the before-mew tioned rod, and a sup ort for the mail-bag, one arm of the lever eing adapted to hold the rod in engagement with the support when the rod is moved so as to throw one of the shoulders under the opposite end of the lever, and to allow the support to be disengaged from the rod upon a reverse movement thereof.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mail-bag, a holderframe secured to the bag, a rod slidably mounted upon the holder-frame and pro.- vided with a groove upon one side and a shoulder upon the opposite side, a lever pivotally mounted upon the holder-frame and comprising two arms which bear against opposite sides of the rod, and a pin for supporting the mail-bag, one of the arms of the lever being adapted to confine the pin within;

the before-mentioned groove in the rod when the rod is moved so as to throw the shoulder under the opposite arm of the lever, and to release the pin upon a reverse movement of the rod.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mail-bag, a bar secured to the mail-bag, and provided upon one side with spaced projections, a rod passing through corresponding openings in thetwo projections and slidably mounted therein, one end of the rod being bifurcated, and a lever pivotally mounted upon one of the projectlons and comprising two arms, one of which bears against the face of the rod adj acent the bar, while the opposite arm passes through the bifurcated portion of the rod and bears against the opposite face thereof, and a support for the bag, the said rod and lever cooperating with each other to form a detachable connection with the support.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mail-bag, a bar secured to the mail-bag and provided with spaced projections having openings therein in alinement with each other, a rod slidably mounted within the openings, the said rod being provided upon one side with a shoulder and upon the opposite side with a transverse groove, and having one end thereof bifurcated, a lever pivotally mounted upon one of the projections and comprising two arms, one of which engages with the side of the rod adjacent the before-mentioned bar, while the opposite arm passes through the bifurcated portion of the rod and engages with the opposite side thereof, and a pin for supporting the bag, one of the arms of the le ver being adapted to confine the pin within the before-mentioned transverse slot, when the rod is moved so as to throw the beforementioned shoulder under the opposite arm of the lever, and to release the pin upon a reverse movement of the rod.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mail-bag, a holderframe secured to the mail-bag and provided upon one side with a finger-hold, a rod slidably mounted upon the holder-frame, a lever pivotally mounted upon the holder-frame, and a support for the bag, the said rod and lever cooperating with each other to form a detachable connection with the support.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. n. EVEREST. [n 8.]

Witnesses:

ALLIE E. FoUToH E. A. Donn. 

